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Kevin Barry: ‘Saturday Night We Will Find Out Whether I’m Dreaming Or I Was Right All Along’

Kevin Barry, the trainer of WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, has long been a huge admirer of his charge, and that is only to be expected.

Whilst the former heavyweight is understandably confident Parker will defeat WBA and IBF champ Anthony Joshua at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on Saturday night, Barry admits he does not know if he is ‘dreaming’ or ‘was right all along’

Speaking at today’s press Conference to kick off fight week, Barry said: “These are two guys that are young, two guys that are at the top of their game. Usually, when you have two very skillful, undefeated fighters in the ring together it will come down to who can execute the game plan the best on the night. I’ve said all along that I believed out of all the heavyweight champions, that Joseph Parker has the best skill. I believe he can do more. I believe he has the fastest hands. On Saturday night, we’ll find out whether I’m dreaming or whether I’ve been right all along.

“I think we’ve had our best training camp, and I know trainers say that all the time but over the last two years, we’ve had a really rough time with Joseph’s elbows. I think it’s shown in his performances. We’ve had a couple of surgeries just prior to Christmas last year. This camp, 11 weeks in Las Vegas, have been the most enjoyable time that Joe and I have spent together in the five years that we’ve had.

“We decided right from the get-go that we were not going to let the occasion beat us. One of the huge strengths of Joseph Parker has always been the way he controls his emotions. I’ve said on several occasions, whether it’s 800, 8,000 or 80,000, it will be the same Joseph Parker smiling all the way to the ring. Joseph has wanted this challenge for so long, an opportunity to prove that he is the best heavyweight in the world. Obviously, we believe that he beats Joshua or otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.”